Apparatus for feeding filling threads to a warp knitting machine



Jan. 23, 1968 CARMAN 3,364,701

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLING THREADS TO A WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 4 SheetsSheet l INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER J. CARMAN BYv w ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1968 3,364,701

A. J. CARMAN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLING THREADS TO A NAIR RINITTINL} MACHINE Filed Feb. 25 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet HG EEE ss j @ INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER J. CARMAN wWfA ATTORNEY A. J. CARMAN APPARATUS FOR FEEFING FILLING THREADS TO A WARP KNITTING MACHINE Jan. 23, 1968 3,364,701

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ALEXANDER J. CARMAN W 1%, ATTOR N EY Jan. 23, A J. CARMAN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLING THREADS TO A WAR? KNITTING MACHINE Filed 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet PRIOR A RT FIG. l2

INVENTOR. ALEXANDER J. CARMAN ZQV ATTORN EY United States Patent 3,364,701 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FILLING THREADS Ti) A WARP KNITTING MAUHINE Alexander J. Qarnran, Hashrouclr Heights, N1, assignor to J. P. Stevens 81 Co., Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 25, 1%6, Ser. No. 529,995 15 Claims. (Cl. 66-84) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A paratus for feeding filling threads to a warp knitting machine for incorporation into the fabric produced thereby in a desired sequence or pattern wherein first and second parallel endless conveyors deliver the filling threads to multiple knitting points including a third endless conveyor movable in a path from the first to the second parallel conveyors and carrying a plurality of filling thread packages, cam-actuated thread holding means on the first and second conveyors receiving the threads from the packages and releasing sarne adjacent the knitting points, and transmission means driven from the knitting machine interconnecting the three conveyors.

This invention relates in general to knitting machines; and, more particularly, to a knitting machine which knits fabric incorporating filling strips across the width of the fabric.

Knitted fabrics are desired for their loose falling drape while woven fabrics are desired for their greater dimensional stability. Filling threads incorporated in a knitted fabric can leave the resulting fabric with the drape of a knitted fabric and the stability of a woven fabric.

A main object of this invention is to provide a knitting machine which incorporates filling threads completely across the width of a knitted fabric.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a knitting machine which can incorporate yarns of different deniers and types into the same fabric.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a knitting machine which incorporates filling threads across the width of the courses of a knitted fabric while operating at a high speed, the filling threads being drawn from yarn cones or the like at a moderate or practical speed.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which may be attached to a slightly modified conventional knitting machine to incorporate filling threads across the width of a knitted fabric.

Many other objects, advantages, and features of invention reside in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts involved in the embodiment of this invention and its practice as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear view of a knitting machine according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section through knitting machine shafts with machine elements shown positioned thereon as these elements might appear positioned in a knitting machine according to this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the filling thread placement apparatus of this invention shown attached to fragments of a knitting machine;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken on line 66 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURES 7-10 are side views of fragments of a needle bar with an attached needle, a pair of guide eyes, a

presser bar, and a sinker bar with an attached sinker of a knitting machine showing the sequence of knitting a course according to the practice of this invention;

FIGURE 11 is a greatly enlarged fragment of a piece of material made with a single set of warp threads according to this invention; and

FIGURE 12 is a greatly enlarged fragment of a piece of material made on a conventional knitting machine with a single set of warp threads.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 shows a substantially conventional knitting machine generally designated by the reference numeral 20. Suspended between the upper ends of the two side members 21 and 22 of knitting machine 20 are the rotatably mounted warp thread rolls 23 and 24. Two sets up warp threads 25 and 25 extend to each knitting point.

Referring also to FIGURE 2, knitting machine 20 has a main cam shaft 26 which is driven by motor 27 by means of a sprocket 28 mounted on motor 27, a chain or belt 29, and a sprocket (not shown) on cam shaft 26. As in conventional knitting machines, a needle bar 30 is fixed to arms 31 which are mounted to oscillate on shaft 32. A rear portion 33 of each arm 31 is forked and carries the cam followers 34 and 35 which engage two sides of a cam 36. Thus the design of the cams 3d fixed on the cam shaft 26 imparts the required motion and dwell periods to needle bar 3% and the row of needles 37 carried thereby.

As in a conventional knitting machine, additional cams (not shown) on shaft 26 impart desired motions to the guide eyes 38 and 39, the presser bar 40, and the sinkers 4-1 which are shown in FIGURES 7l0. A lateral motion is imparted to the guide eyes 38 and 39 by a pattern wheel 45 mounted on a shaft 45. Shaft 46 has worm wheel 40 mounted on it. A sprocket (not shown) on cam shaft 26 drives sprocket 42 by means of chain 41. Sprocket 42 and worm 43 are fixed on the rotatably mounted shaft 44. Thus the pattern wheel 45 is driven from cam shaft 26 in the usual manner.

Referring now to FIGURES 7-10, a conventional knitting cycle would take place as follows. FIGURE 7 shows the bearded needles 37 extending between the sinkers 41 With their shafts through the loops 5!) of the last course knitted. A forward, a lateral, and a rearward motion is imparted to the guide eyes 38 and 39. This wraps the warp threads 25 and 25' about the beards 51 of the needles 37 as shown in FIGURE 8. Needles 37 are then raised and lowered to catch the warp threads 25 and 25' in the needle beards 51.

As shown in FIGURE 9, as needles 37 sink downward, presser bar 4% is advanced to contact and close the beards 51 as the sinkers 41 move rearwardly to move the knitted fabric 52 upward out of the sloping slots or sinker throats 53 in the sinkers 41. This passes the loops about the closed beards 51 so that further downward motion of needles 37 will form a new course of loops 50 as shown in FIGURE 10. A following upward motion of needles 37 returns them to the position shown in FIGURE 7 to complete a conventional knitting cycle.

A conventionally knitted piece of fabric 55 is shown in FIGURE 12. The fabric 55 is shown as it would appear knitted from a single set of warp threads 25 for the sake of clairity. Most fabrics are now knitted from two sets of warp threads.

Referring further to FIGURES 7-10, the knitting cycle of this invention is identical to that described except that a filling thread 56 is placed behind the bearded needles 37 at the start of each knitting cycle. Thus, as each course is formed the filling threads are incorporated in the knitted material on top of the loops 5i and below the warp threads 25 and 25.

FIGURE 11 shows a piece of material 57 knitted from a single set of warp threads according to this invention. Each course has a filling thread 56 incorporated in it. It is to be noted that the filling threads are not involved in the actual knitting cycle or operation. They are not engaged by the beards of the needles 37, nor do they pass through the guide eyes 38 and 39. Thus the filling threads 56 may be of a greater size or of a quality which could not otherwise be incorporated into a conventionally knitted fabric.

The portion of the knitting machine of this invention which supplies the filling threads during the knitting cycle will now be described. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, a frame 60 is mounted on the legs 61 and 52. Vertical shafts 63 and 64 are rotatably mounted at each end of frame 60. The shaft 64 has a pair of sprockets 55 and 66 fixed to it above and below frame 60. Shaft 53 has a pair of sprockets 57 and 68 fixed to it above and below frame 60. A pair of endless chains 69 and '70 extend about the sprockets and 67 and the sprockets 56 and 68.

Referring now to FIGURES l, 3, and 4, a suitable gear box 71 is entered by the end of cam shaft 26 or by a shaft driven by cam shaft 26. A pair of bevel gears 72 and 73 drive the vertical shaft 74 on which is mounted sprocket 75. The chains 69 and are driven by chain 76 through sprocket and sprocket 77' which is mounted on shaft 63.

Referring further to FIGURES l, 3, and 6, brackets 78 are mounted to be carried about by the chains 69 and 70. Each bracket 78 has a lower projection 79 on which is fixed a Wooden plug 81 used to mount a yarn cone 81. An upper projection 82 of each bracket 78 contains a central eyelet or thread guide 83. The ends of the projections 82 each have mounted on them the thread holding tension disks 84. Each of these disks 84 consists of a pair of thread clamping washers 85 and 86 having chamfered adjacent edges to receive a filling thread or yarn 56. Plain washers 87 serve as weights to increase the clamping tension to a required level. The washers 85, 86, and 87 are seated about a vertical pin 88 fixed to extend upward from upper projection 82 of bracket 78.

If the straight runs of chains 69 and 70 between the sprockets 65, 66, 57, and 68 are long, the chains 59 and 70 may sag undesirably. As shown in FIGURE 6, support tracks 89 may be provided parallel to the straight runs behind the brackets 78. Rollers 98 mounted on the brackets 78 then ride on the tracks 89 to support the brackets 78 and prevent undesirable sag of the chains 69 and 70.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, a sprocket 91 on shaft 26 drives chain 92 which rotates sprocket 93 and thereby shaft 94 on which sprocket 93 is mounted. Shaft 94 carries two sprockets 95 and 95 which engage and drive the two endless filling thread conveyor chains 97 and 98.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, chain 97 passes about sprockets 99 and 189 and carries filling thread clamps 101. Clamps 181 are activated by the cams 102 and 103 whose operation will be later explained. Chain 98 passes about sprockets 104 and 105 and under sprocket 106. Chain 98 also carries the evenly spaced thread holding clamps 101. Thus the upper runs and 111 of chain 98 are parallel to the upper runs 112 and 113 of chain 97. The portion of the bottom run of chain 98 in front of a sprocket (not shown) below sprocket 106 is parallel to the bottom run 114 of chain 97. The forward upper run 115 of chain 98 is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the tension disks 84 of brackets 78. Cams 116 and 117 activate the filling thread clamps 181 on chain 98.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, earn 117 activates a thread clamp 181 in the following manner. Each thread clamp 101 is mounted on a support link 121 having a flange 120. A cylindrical clamp anvil 122 is fixed to flange 120. A stern 123 extends through a longitudinal aperture in flange 129 and anvil 122 to carry the clamping head 124. A cam follower 125 on stem 123 retains a compression spring 125 on stem 123. Thus spring 126 urges head 124 against anvil 122. As each filling thread clamp 191 passes about sprocket 104, its follower 125 engages cam 117 and moves head 124 away from anvil 122. Gear 104- is rotatably mounted on the short shaft 150 by means of a ball bearing 151. Cam 117 is fixed to the shaft 150 beside sprocket 184. Shaft 158 projects from support member 152.

Referring additionally to FIGURE 3, a vacuum line 130 activated by air pump 131 draws the loose short end of each filling thread 56 straight out from a passing tension disk 84. At this time, a thread clamp 1121 opened by cam 117 passes its anvil 122 below the thread end and its head 124 above the thread end. As the thread clamp completes its travel about sprocket 1114, cam 117 is disengaged by follower 125 so that thread clamp 101 clamps thread 56 between head 124 and anvil 122. The relative positions of the thread clamps 101 and the tension disks 84 are synchronized during their travel because chains 69 and 70 and chains 97 and 98 are driven from the same main cam shaft 26.

As is further shown in FIGURE 3, as the brackets 78 move along run 132 of chains 69 and 78, filling threads 56 are drawn from the yarn cones 81 through the tension disks 84.

Clamps 101 on chain 97 are activated by cam 103 to grasp the filling thread 56 in the manner which has been described. When the threads 55 are so clamped by the clamps 181 on chain 97, brackets 78 will have passed along run 132 to be rotating with the sprockets 67 and 68. This circular course of the brackets 78 reduces the forward component of velocity of the tension disks 84 so that the threads 55 may be overtaken and clamped by the thread clamps 101 on chain 97.

As the threads 56 are drawn upward along run 112 of chain 97, a power knife with a rotating blade cuts the threads 56 leaving thread ends projecting from the tension disks 84. The cut lengths of thread 55 then are carried in a parallel relationship between chains 97 and 98 to the sprockets 99 and 105. Here cams 192 and 116 release the filling threads 55 by simultaneously opening clamps 101 at each end of a filling thread 56. At this point, the filling threads are deposited and positioned adjacent to the needles 37 at the start of a knitting cycle as shown in FIGURE 7.

This invention enjoys many advantages. Since the fillirig threads 56 are drawn from a plurality of thread cones 81, many types of filling threads may be incorporated in sequence to provide a finished fabric with a desired texture or pattern. If gear box 71 shown in FIGURE 3 is made a variable speed gear box, the interior components of which are omitted in the interest of clarity, alternate courses of a knit fabric or any desired sequence of courses of a knit fabric may have filling threads 55 inserted therein. This is accomplished by slowing down the output of gear box 71 to chains 69 and 70 and shaft 94- and thereby chains 97 and 98. Thus a change in setting of gear box '71 would deliver a filling thread 56 to alternate courses, every third course, or as desired to knit material.

Since modern knitting machines operate at high speed, filling threads cannot be drawn from a single source except at an excessive rate of speed. For example, if only 500 courses were knitted per minute on a knitting machine 84 inches wide, filling threads for each course would have to be drawn from a single source at a speed of over 3500 feet per minute. As shown in FIGURE 3, at least four filling threads 56 are being drawn simultaneously from thread cones 81. Thus these filling threads 55 are only being drawn at a rate of 880 feet per minute from each thread cone 81 if knitting machine 28 is 84 inches wide and producing 500 courses per minute.

The servicing of the apparatus of this invention is greatly facilitated in that the thread cones $1 are easily accessible for replacement.

While I have shown and described my invention in the best form known to me, it will nevertheless be understood that this is purely exemplary and that modifications may be made in the construction, combination, and arrangernent of parts, and the substitution of equivalents mechanically and otherwise, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be more limited in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for feeding filling threads to a knitting machine having multiple knitting points comprising, in combination, first conveyor means feeding to a position adjacent a first of said knitting points, second conveyor means feeding to a position adjacent a second of said points spaced a distance from said first point, thread holding mechanisms on said first and second conveyor means, filling thread packages, means to move said filling thread packages in a path from said first conveyor means to said second conveyor means, said thread holding mechanisms on said first conveyor means holding threads from said filling thread packages moving from said first conveyor means to draw filling threads from said filling thread packages, said thread holding mechanisms on said second conveyor means holding threads drawn from said filling thread packages, and severing means severing filling threads extending between said filling thread packages and said thread holding mechanisms on said second conveyor means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conveyor means are endless conveyors disposed in substantially parallel spaced position.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said first and second endless conveyors have a pair of parallel runs approaching said row of knitting points.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said thread holding mechanisms comprise thread clamps mounted on said endless conveyors, said clamps each having an anvil, a clamping head, and means resiliently urging said clamping head towards said anvil.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the clamping head of each of said thread clamps has a projection, and means are provided for actuating said thread clamps comprising a pair of releasing cams engaged by said projections moving said clamping heads away from said anvils.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said anvils of said thread clamps are fixed to the inner sides of said endless chains, said projections of said clamping heads extend through said anvils, said projections each having a cam follower beyond said anvils and said means resiliently urging said clamping heads towards said anvils comprising compression springs mounted about said projections between said cam followers and said anvils.

7. The combination according to claim 5 with the addition of rotatably mounted sprockets having circumferences adjacent to the sides of said row of knitting points, said first and second endless conveyors passing about said sprockets, and said cams releasing said thread clamps being disposed alongside said sprockets.

8. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said means moving said filling thread packages between said first and second endless conveyors comprises third endless conveyor means having at least a portion of a straight run extending from said first endless conveyor to said second endless conveyor, said third conveyor means passin said first endless conveyor a greater distance from said row of knitting points than said third conveyor means passes said second endless conveyor.

9. The combination according to claim 0 wherein said filling thread packages are mounted on brackets fixed to said third endless conveyor means, said third endless conveyor means moving in a substantially horizontal path, said brackets having ends from which filling threads extend, and clamping cams associated with said first and second endless conveyors for opening and allowing said thread clamps to close grasping said filling threads.

10. The combination according to claim 9 with the addition of a vacuum device mounted beyond the path of said ends of said brackets and the path of said thread clamps of said first endless conveyor, said vacuum device drawing filling thread ends to stand out from said ends of said brackets to be clamped by the thread clamps on said first endless conveyor.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the ends of said brackets have tension disks mounted thereon between which said filling threads are drawn.

12. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said third endless coneyor means has two conveyor sprockets, said third endless conveyor means passing about said two conveyor sprockets with a straight run between said two conveyor sprockets being disposed at least partly between said first and second endless conveyors, said brackets being mounted on the outside of said conveyor and turning with said conveyor about one of said conveyor sprockets when passing said second endless conveyor thereby reducing the forward component of velocity of tension the disks passing said second endless conveyor.

13. The combination of claim 1. further characterized by having knitting point release means located adjacent said knitting points for release of said filling threads from said thread holding mechanisms.

14. The combination of claim 1. further characterized by transmission means driven from said knitting machine and drivingly connected to said first and second conveyor means.

15. The combination according to claim 14 further characterized in that said transmission means includes a variable ratio mechanism to vary the rate of delivery of threads past said row of knitting points to sequentially space courses of filling threads.

References Qited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,949 8/1916 Carney 156439 XR 1,325,091 12/1919 Harrison 156177 XR 1,362,066 12/1920 Wandel 156439 XR 1,383,243 6/1921 Schwartz 156-439 1,680,614 8/1928 Hill et a1 6684 2,000,643 5/1935 Morton 6685 FOREIGN PATENTS 440,191 12/ 1935 Great Britain. 385,152 4/1963 Japan.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner. 

